Craigslist Medford: Money Scams to Beware

The award-winning 2003 documentary “24 hours on Craigslist” was released on YouTube in 2012. It gave an engaging look at the swarm of buyers and sellers that makes up the free online community of Craigslist Medford. Although it was initially based in San Francisco, the largest community bulletin board in the globe grew rapidly to include cities all over the world.

It is possible to fall for incredible scams, no matter how amazing the selling or buying of the service. This amazing collection of mundane and intelligent advertisements has inspired many other brilliant attempts to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. Although it is disappointing to discover that scams continue to pop up on the site, it’s not surprising.

Craigslist is able to keep thousands of transactions secure every day. It provides detailed information on how to protect your customers from scammers. Its website clearly lists the dos and don’ts in avoiding scams. Craigslist has a Security Researcher Page that recognizes those who help keep Craigslist safe by responsibly sharing security concerns. Craigslist is a marketplace that helps people buy and sell, while also avoiding fraud and scams. Its number one rule: “deal locally”. These scams are so widespread and persistent that they have been uncovered in two communities on each coast of the United States. Both Medford, Oregon, and Medford Massachusetts have seen their fair share of innovative Craigslist scams.

The Dial 90 Scam Craigslist Medford

Katie Whitman is not a newbie to Craigslist Medford scams. In February 2018, a Medford, Oregon resident placed a Craigslist advertisement for college textbooks. Unusual was the next step. She posted her ad at 1:45 AM. A response quickly came in, much too fast, and was received within minutes at 2 AM. It was odd to her right away. It wasn’t local. The response was too fast and it was in the middle of the night. After the initial call at 2 AM, Whitman received 11 additional calls until 2:07 AM. Whitman blocked the number but she received three additional calls with voicemails. The voicemail contained the message “Sorry.” I didn’t hear it. Call 90 to reach me” Craigslist’s website states that scammers often send emails or text messages from people not in your area. It encourages users to meet face-to-face and to work locally. The company states that this rule can be used to help users avoid 99 percent of scammers’ attempts.

The Rental Home Scam Craigslist Medford

In 2015, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Craigslist Medford, Oregon Mail Tribune published an article about a scam to rent a home. To create fake Craigslist listings, the scammer used images and descriptions from real estate listings to offer the properties as rentals at much lower rates than the current rates. In exchange for the keys, the scammer demanded that potential renters wire money to pay a deposit. Scammers encouraged victims to accept the arrangement, telling them that a previous tenant had refused to pay after they settled into the house. Payment first-keys second was the new standard for doing business. Medford police observed that scammers often promised keys via FedEx but only after funds had been wired. The scam isn’t new, but it has become more common than ever before, according to police.

Scam on the Mother and Son Duo Apartment

Ingemi and Dorothy posed as landlords seven years ago to con renters of apartments they didn’t own. Nicholas was only 21 years old when he and Dorothy joined the scam. They advertised an apartment for rent on Craigslist, and received deposits from their victims. They showed prospective tenants the apartment and even gave one key. The owner was very kind to the mother and her son who had been living in the apartment as they were homeless. They made deposits in varying amounts totaling nearly $4,000. They were both charged with three counts of felony theft.

Easy Yard Sale

Local readers were warned by a Boston BBB contributor to Medford Patch about the Craigslist Medford scam. It was called “elaborate”. This con focuses on high-ticket items such as boats and used cars. The seller places an advertisement for the item that is always lower than other ads. The seller replies to the buyer. The seller replies to the buyer and informs him that the item is still available, but must be purchased through an “Easy Yard Sale” company or another similar entity. According to the seller, the item was inherited from a family member who died recently. Although the item is beautiful, the seller is trying to quickly sell the estate and uses this service to manage everything. The company’s website is easily found by doing a quick Internet search. The buyer is convinced that the company exists and follows the instructions of the seller. The buyer agrees to wire the purchase price to the seller so that the item can be delivered to him. All paperwork necessary to transfer the property will also be completed legally. Once the money has been paid, the buyer will not receive the item and will not hear from the seller again. Tracking the fake company becomes difficult.

Fake Ticket Scam

This scam is a common one on Craigslist, and it’s been seen all over the country. Fans looking for bargains on tickets at high prices tend to be drawn to big events like concerts or sports tournaments. Here’s where the problem begins. These scammers are so skilled at creating fake tickets for these events, it can be difficult to distinguish the real from the fakes. Fake information might be all that is needed to convince people who want to attend these events. Craigslist Medford scammers will offer low-cost tickets, but require payment before shipping. The scammer will cancel the real tickets once the money is received. Many people will receive tickets that look exactly like real ones, but are actually faked with watermarks or holograms. Craigslist advises that you only deal with local sellers who are available to meet face-to-face, never give out your financial information, and never send money via Western Union.